OSX Server setup help needed please

[Man-O-Leisure]

Hey all, i am currently setting up my first xServe. I am a Mac user but don't know aything at all about server.

Here is what i am trying to do firstly: I have a client, they have 5 iMac and a couple Macbooks. They have purchased this new xServe, and i am setting it up for them (i generally only do Windows servers at work), what they want i basically a file share, mail and calendar sharing, secure login (like being on a Domain in windows), Printer sharing and there will be a few programs that run on tehe server like MYOB, genie.. that will be accessed from each desktop.

I have run the Server through the setup, choosing Advanced Configuration as it seemed the right option as it gives me networking and directory services.

My main issue is this, i have no idea what Open Directory and Directory services is or does or how to set it up. I also need to know how these 5 users who have their iMacs already setup can stll login to their desktops, like normal but be connected to the server for what i mentioned above?

Mail server, i have no idea also.. i really would love help on all or any of the above please. Thanks in advance

 

[twoodcc]

i have always been told that the first thing you setup is DNS. have you gotten that running correctly? nothing else will work right without that

 

[Consultant]

google:
osx server guide

 

[pismobrat]

Os X Server Setup

Hi,

With the Purchase of the XServer and Os X Server, you've gotten a full 90 days tech support from Apple.

Call them, best to get the aid from the horses mouth than people telling you to google

 

[NaOH123]

Hate to be a pessimist here, but I can speak from experience (I manage 3 osx servers), but go with another OS...thats right, I've got one of my 3 switched over to ubuntu server edition (planning to switch the other two as well) and quite frankly its just better. OSX server is a piece of crap and you'll find out when/if you get yours up and running. Inexplicable errors (often times not reporting to the logs) and next to no community support or documentation. I've had our xserve raid drop one array, then the other, all while the raidadmin utilities reported everything was a-okay.

Buuut to answer your questions, can you say what exactly you're looking to do with this server?

 

[Man-O-Leisure]

Thanks for the replies..

Yes i have already googled to no avail, i can never seem to get a definite answer for what i am trying to do.

The server is going into a medical practice, they will use it only for file sharing and as a server for an accounting/patient progam called Genie.

They want to secure logins to the server, and usr management, so whatever is the equivelent of setting up an AD in Windows Server.

I have got DNS sorted and woking as far as i can tell...

 

[NaOH123]

I haven't actually done a set up with 10.5, but from the little I've played with it looks like you've still got the Server Admin module, have you familiarized yourself with this yet?

 

[Man-O-Leisure]

I haven't actually done a set up with 10.5, but from the little I've played with it looks like you've still got the Server Admin module, have you familiarized yourself with this yet?

A little, i have managed to work out how to at least start services and what not. my main problem is that i just dont understand Open Directory.. i am guessing it is like Active Directory, i just cant see where i add users and computers and stuff to the open directory for the current users be able to login like normal on their desktops and the server then be able to control them.

 

[NaOH123]

OpenDirectory is apple branded LDAP, so for starters you'll need to get it up and running and create an administrator for the service itself. This can be achieved with the Workgroup Manager (as well as adding your users). You can check out generic info on LDAP (there's plenty of it), it's perfectly applicable in most cases. Also, not to throw the RTFM at you, there are two large texts on deploying/maintaining osx servers. I'd bet they could even be obtained through not-so-legit channels, not that I'd ever advocate...

As far as users logging in, I understand that can be setup in your typical domain controller / domain users, but I've yet to do it. My users simple mount AFP shares as needed. I'm assuming its similar to Samba where you must have a machine account as well as a user account, again once your ldap is established you can find more on this in the Workgroup manager.

 

[Man-O-Leisure]

First things first i guess.. how do i setup/configure DNS in ? thi shas OSX Server 10.5.6.

I watched a few videos on the Mac site, i need to set up DNS so i can setup mail server.

 

[NaOH123]

Is there a registered domain that needs to be associated with this? Setting up DNS at its most basic would be first giving it a static ip on the local network, of course enabling the DNS server, then setting up the dns name. Again you can actually benefit from generic info on the Bind dns service since that's all its using, but here's something from the horse's mouth:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3107?viewlocale=en_US

Also, if the gateway has a dns forwarding service be sure you have your dns name pointing to the server as well

 

[Man-O-Leisure]

Is there a registered domain that needs to be associated with this? Setting up DNS at its most basic would be first giving it a static ip on the local network, of course enabling the DNS server, then setting up the dns name. Again you can actually benefit from generic info on the Bind dns service since that's all its using, but here's something from the horse's mouth:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3107?viewlocale=en_US

Also, if the gateway has a dns forwarding service be sure you have your dns name pointing to the server as well

They do have a www. domain name if that what you mean? but they wont be serving the domain from the xServe.. an ISP hosts their @domainname.com emails which i will be hopefully using the xServe to grab those and give to each client.

I have given the server a static IP and started the DNS service, nos just looking at that add host part, and it just confuses me

Sorry to be so lame with this..

 

[Man-O-Leisure]

So i think i have setup DNS properly.

I ran changeip -checkhostnam and i got

Primary Address: 192.168.xx.xx (which iste server IP)
Current hostname: servername.local
DNS hostname : servername

Now, OpenDirectory.. if have client iMacs already setup in this organisation, and they want their desktops staying the same as alwaswhen they login (and no roaming profiles) i am guessing the Standalone OD is all i need? The master looks like its roaming profiles to me.. am i right?

Also, sorry to add.. i have added the OD service ysterday, as master, i now want to change it to Standalone, but on the Server Admin, the Change button is greyed out.. and it always seems to do the "application not responding" type thing, with the pointer that little colourful circle

 

[kamochan]

I'm getting a definite sense that you would really benefit from spending a few hours checking out these two links:

http://www.apple.com/server/macosx/resources/
http://images.apple.com/server/macosx/docs/User_Management_v10.5.mnl.pdf